Frank Sexton

Frank Joseph Sexton

• Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown
• Weight 160 lb.
• School Amherst College, Brown University, University of Michigan
• Debut June 21, 1895
• Final Game August 17, 1895
• Born July 8, 1872 in Brockton, MA USA
• Died January 4, 1938 in Brighton, MA USA

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Biographical Information

Frank Sexton was one of the top college pitchers of the 1890s and pitched one season in the majors with the 1895 Boston Beaneaters, and stayed in the sports news long afterwards because of his college coaching.

As a teenager he enrolled as a special student at Amherst College, playing baseball on the freshman team in 1888 and the varsity team in 1889. He then spent four years at Brown University, where he established himself as a star pitcher during the 1890 to 1893 seasons. His catcher for much of that time was Fred Tenney, who went on to a long career as a major league player (moving from catcher to first base).

Sexton was also frequently in demand by area clubs for exhibition games, playing frequently around Massachusetts and Rhode Island in these years. He also played for league clubs in the summers, including for Clyde in the 1890 Rhode Island League, the St. John Shamrocks in the 1890 New Brunswick League, Woonsocket in the 1891 New England League, and Pawtucket in the 1892 New England League. After graduating from Brown in 1893, he signed with the Boston Beaneaters, but did not appear for them, playing instead for a semipro team in New Bedford, MA in 1893 and 1894, as well as returning to the New England League with his hometown Brockton Shoemakers in 1894.

Sexton then enrolled in medical school at the University of Michigan, where he also played in 1895. That summer, he agreed to join the Beaneaters, playing 10 games with the club between June and August, before returning to school. He coached Michigan for the 1896 season, but did not play for the club. He had two final minor league stints with the Springfield Ponies of the 1896 Eastern League and the New Bedford Whalers of the 1897 New England League.

He worked as a doctor after completing his schooling and coached baseball the University of Michigan in 1896 and 1901-1902, at Brown University from 1903-1910, and at Harvard University from 1911-1915. In 1915 Sexton had a highly-publicized parting from Harvard when there was a disagreement about the use of assistant coaches. Sexton later sued Harvard regarding his salary, alleging some was unpaid from 1913. After his coaching days, he maintained his doctor's office and resided in Brookline, MA and also served as a captain in the US Army Medical Corps during World War I.

Related Sites

• 1939 Spalding Guide Obit
• Find-A-Grave Memorial for Frank Sexton